How QuickBooks Online Certification Grew My CPA Practice

Accounting professionals, who are also business owners, are constantly asking themselves two questions: How can I grow my accounting/bookkeeping business? and How can I differentiate myself from my competitors?

Whenever I meet a new prospect who is interested in QBO, I will always ask “How did you hear about us?” Most of the time, the business owner will say that he or she found us on the Find-a-ProAdvisor listing or from a referral.

During these last few years when I’ve implemented QBO into my practice, I’ve spoken with many small business owners. What they are looking for in accounting professional is the same. They want:

A CPA or bookkeeper who is willing to accept change and do things differently

A professional who has the heart of a teacher

“Pain-free” bookkeeping

I’ve met business owners who are looking for a new CPA or bookkeeper – because their current one refuses to use QuickBooks Online. They’ll say “My CPA only wants to use the old QuickBooks.” Those comments shock me each time I hear them. To me, it’s like someone saying they refuse to upgrade from Windows 98 or refuse to get a smartphone. Times change, but why can’t some CPAs and accountants? Accounting professionals can differentiate themselves by simply doing things differently … such obtaining QBO Certification.

Other comments that I hear from business owners are “I don’t know what my bookkeeper does in QuickBooks. The numbers don’t make sense to me.” Business owners should stay away from any accounting professional who is unwilling to help them to understand their financials. What’s there to hide? Good business decisions are made when owners have solid financial information that they can easily understand and rely on. This can actually translate to substantial business growth for clients and better retention rates for CPAs and bookkeepers.

Accounting professionals can also increase their client retention rates by offering “pain-free” bookkeeping. With QBO, a lot of transactions can be automated for clients. This will result in less data entry time and will also prevent keying errors. Business owners will have more time to analyze their financials and to make positive business changes more quickly. QBO also has anytime, anywhere access that is beneficial to both clients and QuickBooks ProAdvisors®. No more lost data. No more wasted time teaching your clients how to load an Accountant’s Copy of their QuickBooks file.

Obtaining a QBO certification can make any accountant stand out from the crowd. It can definitely aid in growing an accounting practice. To me, a QBO certification says “Hey. I’m an accountant or bookkeeper who is adaptable to change. I’m willing to embrace technology. I’m enthusiastic about helping my clients in using a tool (such as QBO) that is easy to use and works best for my client.”